Combined timing and display apparatus



May 1, 1945. R. w. ZIMMERMAN COMBINED TIMING AND DISPLAY APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Elma/rm i w a L. W FDZE O0u Oh i a N. 9 m m P @A w/WW May 1, 1945.

R. w. ZIMMERMAN COMBINED rimme AND DIS-PLAY APPARATUS 2 sheets s heet-2 Filed Nov. 12. 1943 3mm A W Z/mme/vn /a,

Patented May 1, 1945 COMBINED TIMING AND DISPLAY APPARATUS Ralph W. Zimmerman, Bradenton, Fla.

Application November 12, 1943, Serial No. 510,025

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in combined timing and display apparatus, and in its more specific aspects to timing and display apparatus of a type adaptedfor example to be incorporated as a unit in the show window of a restaurant operating on the so-called time limit service principle, or to be hung just to the rear of the show window, or to be placed as a unit in a wall opening between the kitchen and dining room of restaurants of the character specified. In such restaurants, food is prepared to order under a contract providing that the proprietor or operator shall prepare an order in the time specified on the menu and that, upon failure to so perform, the customer shall receive his order free of charge. To assist the operator, and to visually acquaint the customer ordering a particular item with the time running against his order, timing apparatus is employed to indicate the contract time of the order and its progress in terms of time units.

The invention contemplates and provides an improved and effective timing device by which the contract time is indicated to a customer and other patrons of time contract service restaurants and by which they may visually observe the time running against a particular order or a, plurality of such orders. Moreover, by mounting the timing device in or with the show window of such a restaurant, the invention provides efiective means whereby the same information given the customer may be visually observed by the passerby, thus to excite the latters interest in the operation and obligations of the service and thereby stimulate the business of the proprietor thereof.

Other objects will be in part obviou from the annexed drawings and in part hereinafter indicated in connection therewith by the following analysis of the invention.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation of a combined timing and display apparatus mounted as a unit in the bulkhead of a restaurant show window, as viewed from the exterior of the latter;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section throu h the timing apparatus and show window as illustrated in Fig. 1, taken generally on line 22 thereof;

Fig. 3 is a part vertical section taken generally along line 3-3 of Fig. 2, which illustrates the relation of the control panel of the timing apparatus and the show window.

Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views illustrating, respectively, the front and rear faces of a typical food check.

Referring to the drawings, wherein the timing and display apparatus of the invention is shown to be mounted as a unit in the bulkhead of a show window, although it is to be understood that the apparatus may be hung just inside the window so as to be viewable therethrough, reference char acter i0 designates a vertically arranged control panel in the nature of a unitary or sectional sheet of transparent plate-glass secured along its edges, and particularly its side edges, to the rear walls of spaced, vertically disposed gear boxes H, l2 of reinforced sheet metal which are disposed to the rear of the laterally spaced mullions l3, I4 01' the restaurant front, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

The control panel ID is provided with at least one horizontally extending slot I5, although a plurality of such slots (five by way of example) are preferably employed to indicate the progress of a plurality of order checks moving in five hori- Zontal lanes, one lane for each slot. Moreover, the panel is divided into a plurality of unit time zones, as by the vertical line I6 painted on the inner face of the panel, thirteen such zones being shown by way of example in Fig. 1. The zones are consecutively numbered from left to right, and each zone in. the illustrated embodiment represents the time interval of one minute. A vertical line H corresponding to the zero line is prominently displayed, such being the free line whose function will hereinafter appear.

Arranged relatively to the front of the panel are a plurality of horizontally disposed endless chains 20, there being one such chain for each panel slot. By reference to Fig. 3, the chains 20 are each enclosed for the length of their straightway stretches within a muntin generally designated 21, the same comprising a, rectangular moulding-like housing which extends between and is affixed to the spaced gear boxes ll, I2. The relatively rear side of each such muntin, which as shown extends flush against the forward face of the panel to, is provided with a slot corresponding to the related panel slot I5, whereby the muntin opens to the rearward face of the panel. To protect the edges of the panel slots the muntin carries parallel neck flanges 23 disposed along the edges of its opening to lie against the edges of slot !5, from which depend right-angled flanges 24 which are bent to lie against the relatively rearward face of the panel adjacent the slot edges. Hence, the slot edges of the panel are substantially enclosed between the rear side wall of the muntin, the face flanges 24, and the parallel neck flanges 23.

The ends of the muntins 2| open into the gear boxes ll, l2, whereby the chains housed within the former are free to pass into and from the latter. Arranged, for example, in the leftwise gear box H is a vertical drive shaft 25 carrying a plurality of drive sprockets 26, one for each chain. Also arranged within the rightwise gear box is a vertical shaft 21 carrying a plurality of vertically spaced idler sprockets 28 for the chains. The boxes may also enclose idler sprockets 3D turning freely on supporting shafts 3 I, positioned so as to cause the relatively front stretches of the chains to incline towards the relatively rear stretches thereof whereby the horizontal stretches of each chain are closely spaced. Within each muntin is preferably arranged a vertical partition 32 for the purpose of preventing interference between the closely spaced and oppositely moving stretches of the chain.

The drive shaft is driven by a motor through 2 stretch are housed within the muntin. Preferably, a shelf-like support 36 within the muntin is provided to support the hooks then disposed along the forward stretch of the chain in their lengthwise travel. With the arrangement so far described, it will be understood that the chain hooks are caused to travel across the panel face and the time zones thereof and, with the chains being drivenv at the linear rate of one time zone per unit of time, each hook also moves along its slot the distance of one time zone per unit of time which, in the'apparatus under description, is one minute.

To indicate in visual manner the time running against an order placed by a customer, for example, time checks in the nature of opaque cards 40 are adapted to be hung on hooks 35 and to move therewith across the relatively rear face of the 'panel.' 7 By reason of the transparency of the panel, it will be observed that such checks are viewable through the panel itself, i. e., from the front face thereof, as well as against the relatively rear face. Hence, if the checks are printed on both their faces, as for example by printing therelatively front face of the check with the key number of the order and the ftime limit contract, and the rear face of the check with the order, the check and its progress can be viewed throughthe panel by persons to the front thereof (Fig. 5), in addition to being viewable against the panel (Fig. 4) by a customer or interested patrons seeing the check from that side thereof. It will be understood, of course, that printing on both faces is optional, as only one check face may be printed, and that color may be substituted for or combined with printing to obtain the desired effect.

'Where time apparatus as aforesaid is organized with or built into a store or restaurant front for the purpose of stimulating and exciting the in terest of the passerby in the operation of the restaurant, the front face of the mullions l3, I4 aresuitably angled to provide a seat adapted to receive the sash d2 of a plate glass show window 43. By reference to Fig. 2, the dimensioning of parts is such as to provide adequate space between the control panel and the show window for operation of the chainsand the mounting of the chain muntins therebetween, it being here noted that the housing of the chains within the muntins obscures the chains from view both from the exterior and interior of the window.

' As shown, the width of the mullions l3 and I4 from their front end corners to the sash 42 of the show Window 43 is preferably sufficiently great as to provide adequate space for suitable advertisements. Thus, as shown in Fig, 1, space 59 on the lefthand mullion l3 may be utilized as a free check display, for example, the equivalent space 89 on the righthand mullion Hi being employed to display the time limit service contract. By reference to Fig. 2, wherein the rear walls of the gear boxes II and I2 are also shown as angled to provide a seat for the side edges of the control panel it, the angled wall portions 45 will be provided with a slot 46 permittingfree passage of the chains and check hooks into the hollow mullion. Adjacent the slot d6 of the lefthandmullion l l, the wall 45 carries anautomatic check release 48 (only generally shown) which functions to remove checks from the hooks as the latter pass into the boxes, the checks being thereupon collected for re-use.

To indicate the operation of the timing device as described, it will be understood that with the menu specifying the contract time for the pre aration of each food item listed, and an order being placed, the contract time is marked. on the check or a check individual to the particular item is selected, which is thereupon hung on a hook then passing the time zone corresponding to the contract time. The check is thereupon caused to travel across the control panel and the. time zones thereof, so that the customer can visually observe the interval .elapsing since the order was placed as well as the interval running to the time when the item is to'b'e served according to the specified contract time. If the order is served within the contract time, i. e. prior to the check reaching the free line H, the customer pays the price specified for the particular item. On the other hand,

if the check moves across the free line before the particular item is served to the customer, the latter according to the terms of the contract is entitled to be served free of charge.

By employing a transparent control panel and organizing the aforesaid timing device with the show window 43, through which latter the timing operation and the progress of an order may be viewed from the exterior of the restaurant, it will be appreciated that the interest of the passerby in the operation and in the service provided by such a restaurant will be stimulated and the business of the proprietor thereof increased accordingly. By suitably printing or otherwise inscribing the relatively front faces of the checks with matter relating to the type of service dealt in by the proprietor and which can be read by the passerby through the store window 43 and the control.

panel, the latter is enabled to follow the progress and completion or lack of completion of any particular order and his interest in the proceeding is thereby materially enhanced. Due to the fact that the plurality of chains associated with the control panel are housed within the muntins 2| and that the latter are of the depth of the ordinary molding, for example, the display appearance of the control panel, as viewed from the exterior of the restaurant, is satisfactory from the 'sales appeal standpoint and infact provides a display of intriguing and attention-arresting prop erties.

It will be observed that the timing apparatus as described is organized as a complete unit, the gear boxes being structurally secured together by suitable means fixing the control panel l and muntins 2| therebetween. Accordingly, the timing ap paratus may be removed as a unit for purpose of inspection and repair, without disturbing the show window or its mounting. For an installation requiring the same, the timing apparatus may be hung or otherwise placed as a unit behind an already mounted show window so as to be viewable therethrough. It is also within the purview of the invention to mount the unit in the wall opening between kitchen and dining room of a time limit service restaurant whose kitchen is disposed to the rear of the building, whereby the patrons of such a restaurant may View the progress of their order through the control panel.

As many changes could be made in carrying out the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. Timing and display apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination, a transparent control panel divided into a plurality of vertical time zones, means moving in a straightline path across the panel and the time zones thereof at the fixed rate of the width of one zone per selected unit of time, and a check carried by said means to extend relatively rearwardly of said panel, said check being viewable both against and through the transparent panel.

2. Timing and display apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination, a transparent control panel divided into a plurality of vertical time zones, the panel having a transverse slot extending across the time zones, carrier means movable in a straight-line path across the panel and the time zones thereof at the fixed rate of the width of one zone per selected unit of time, said carrier having a part extending through said slot for movement therealong, and a check carried by said part and depending therefrom to the rear face of the panel, said check being viewable both against and through the transparent panel.

3. Timing and display apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination, a transparent control panel divided into a plurality of vertical time zones, the panel having a transverse slot extending across the time zones, a horizontally disposed endless chain movable across the panel and carrying a plurality of spaced hooks, the chain and hooks being operatively related to the panel in such manner that the hooks carried by the relatively rearward stretch thereof project through the slot and are movable therealong, and a check adapted to be hung from one of said hooks so as to be viewable both against and through the transparent panel.

4. Timing and display apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination, a transparent control panel divided into a plurality of vertical time zones, a horizontally disposed endless chain carrying a plurality of spaced hooks and being disposed substantially in the plane of the panel slot and being operatively related to the panel in such manner that the hooks carried by the relativel rearward stretch of the chain project through the slot and are movable therealong, and a check adapted to be hung from a hook to extend to the relatively rear face of the panel so as to be viewable both against and through the transparent panel.

5. Timing and display apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination, a transparent control panel divided into a plurality of vertical time zones, the panel having a transverse slot extending across the time zones thereof, an elongated chain housing disposed to the front of the panel and being provided with a slot opening to the rear thereof through the panel slot, a horizontally disposed endless chain having straightway stretches disposed in said housing and carrying hooks, of which the hooks of the rearward stretch project through the housing and panel slots, and a check adapted to be hung on one of said hooks to extend to the rear face of the panel so as to be viewable both against and through the panel.

6. A combined time and display apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination, spaced vertically disposed housings of hollow construction, a transparent control panel secured along its side edges to the rear of said housings, a show window secured along its side edges so as to be spaced to the front of the control panel, the control panel being divided into a plurality of vertical time zones and having a horizontal slot extending across said zones, a horizontally disposed endless chain driven and supported by means mounted in the housings and having elongated stretches which are movable in opposite directions in the space between the control panel and the show window, said chain carrying a plurality of spaced hooks and being mounted so that the hooks carried by the rearward stretch thereof project through the panel slot for travel across the panel and time zones thereof, and a check adapted to be hung ,from one or said hooks to extend to the rear of the panel so as to be viewable both against the panel from one side and through the panel and the show window from the other.

'7. A combined time and display apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination, spaced vertically disposed housings of hollow construction, a transparent control panel secured along its side edges to the rear of said housing, a show window secured along its side edges so as to be spaced to the front of the control panel, the control panel being divided into a plurality of vertical time zones and having a horizontal slot extending across said zones, a horizontally disposed chain housing extending between the vertical housings in the space between the control panel and show window and having its ends opening into said housing, said chain housing having a slot opening to the rear of the panel through the horizontal slot thereof, a horizontally disposed endless chain driven and supported by sprockets mounted in the vertical housings and having elongated stretches movable in opposite directions in said chain housing, said chain carrying a plurality of spaced hooks extending through the aforesaid slots to extend to the rear face of the panel for travel across the time zones thereof, and a check adapted to be hung from one of said hooks to extend to the rear of the panel so as to be viewable against the panel from one side and through the panel and show window from the other.

RALPH W. ZIMMERMAN. 

